Do Australians know how to drive on a 3 lane motorway

[Cupid Stunt]

making learners and p platers drive at less than the posted speed limit is also very stupid.

We see so many more learners on highways due to the idiotic requirement that they must drive x hours under supervision. If you have a 3 hour drive, why no let the learner get their hours up? at 80 in a 110 zone. Lunacy.

100%!

 

[bazza]

im not sure baz

i dont pay much attention to the grannies/l-platers/trucks etc in the left lane as i whiz past in the outside lane

how do you wizz past when there is a car going 10kph under the speed limit in the middle lane and another doing a similar speed in the right-hand lane?

 

[bazza]

As I suspected, it seems most people have no idea and seem to think that "keep left unless overtaking" either doesn't apply to them or means "keep in the middle lane unless overtaking"

Here are the road rules for NSW

http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/f...eg+179+2008+pt.11-div.2-rule.130+0+N?tocnav=y

(2) The driver must not drive in the right lane unless:

(a) the driver is turning right, or making a U-turn from the centre of the road, and is giving a right change of direction signal, or​

(b) the driver is overtaking, or​

(c) a left lane must turn left sign or left traffic lane arrows apply to any other lane and the driver is not turning left, or​

(d) the driver is required to drive in the right lane under rule 159, or​

(e) the driver is avoiding an obstruction, or​

(f) the traffic in each other lane is congested, or​

(g) the traffic in every lane is congested, or​

(h) the right lane is a special purpose lane in which the driver, under another provision of these Rules, is permitted to drive, or​

(i) there are only 2 marked lanes and the left lane is a slow vehicle turn out lane.​

so driving in the middle just in case someone merges is not an excuse

 

[bazza]

Trucks, buses, caravans, horse floats, boat trailers, learners & P platers, and anyone wearing a bowling hat and/or in a Volvo.

if there is no one to overtake, everyone should be in the left hand lane

 

[bazza]

Depends if they're doing the speed limit or not bazza.

no it doesn't

no matter what speed you are doing you should stay in the left hand lane unless you are overtaking someone.

Staying in the middle just in case there is a slow car is not acceptable

Pretty sure there is provision in the law to overtake on the inside lane should circumstances permit. eg safest option.

overtaking to the left should be avoided.
If people kept to the left then there would be no reason to do this

 

[bazza]

What if there are two cars alongside each other in the right lanes driving at a snail's pace?

Those two cars should not be in those lanes in the first place.
The one in the middle should be in the left - so the other can over take in the middle.
Then the faster car can overtake on the right

 

[bazza]

The only 3 lane highway i drive on regularly has a 6klm hill at the start of the 3 lane section and a sign that clearly says the left lane is for slow moving vehicles - which i take to mean that cars travelling near the speed limit should be in the middle lane with the right lane for overtaking - but i do find i am more comfortable in the left lane if no trucks are grinding up the hill (just habit).

you take it wrong way - but drive correctly

If you are a slow vehicle then use the left lane
If you are a normal vehicle use the left lane - when you come across the slow vehicles overtake them in the middle lane
If there are lots of slow vehicles then you will spend most of your time in the middle lane anyway.

 

[bazza]

Im often in the right lane to over take, but Ill overtake someone, go back into the middle late, over take again, and that repeats often, so Im usually in the right lane. (M4 is the free-way I use most)

I prefer using the middle lane as I believe its the safest lane when taking into account mergers and safety routes. Eg, say your in the left or right lane and there is a broken down vehicle ahead of you. In the middle lane you have 2 options to change into quickly, in the left or right lanes you and everyone infront and behind you only have the one option to change into.

And on the cheeky side, the middle lane is the left lane, from the right lanes perspective

you need to go to traffic school and are part of the reason why traffic doesn't flow as well as it could

 

[Willow]

no it doesn't

But it matters if you're interested in breaking the speed limit.

no matter what speed you are doing you should stay in the left hand lane unless you are overtaking someone.

Sure. Although personally I don't think it's entirely safe to be continually changing lanes while doing 110Kms/hour.

Why would you overtake a car doing the speed limit?

Those two cars should not be in those lanes in the first place.
The one in the middle should be in the left - so the other can over take in the middle.
Then the faster car can overtake on the right

Thanks bazza, I know the rules. But the fact is that sometimes motorists get in the wrong lane.

When this happens, how do you react?

 

[bazza]

But it matters if you're interested in breaking the speed limit.

If you are at the speed limit or under you should be in the left hand lane.
I did not mention anything about being over the limit

Sure. Although personally I don't think it's entirely safe to be continually changing lanes while doing 110Kms/hour.

If you can't change lanes as 110km/h then don't drive on the motorway or stay under that in the left hand lane

Why would you overtake a car doing the speed limit?

I am talking about cars driving at 100km/h in the middle lane

Thanks bazza, I know the rules. But the fact is that sometimes motorists get in the wrong lane.

That is what i am talking about

When this happens, how do you react?

options:
1. sit behind them until they move to the left hand lane
2. move from left to middle and stay behind then go to right hand lane if they still haven't moved (hopefully there is not another car in the right hand lane)

sometimes you can sit in the left hand lane at the speed limit and undertake cars - this is rather unsafe and means that the slower cars should move to the left

 

[Skinner]

I think he is advocating that he, and that we should, simply sit in the inside lane.

He seems to be ignoring the fact that most of us are saying that we drive according to the conditions.

 

[Willow]

Problem is that you can't simply dictate terms on the road or hope that everyone else drives the way you want them to.

If you can't change lanes as 110km/h then don't drive on the motorway or stay under that in the left hand lane

You didn't catch my point. It's a question of safe driving and commonsense bazza. IMO some of the worst drivers are those who think they are good drivers.

In my experience, the key points about road safety:
1. Driving to the conditions.
2. Looking ahead, being aware of other vehicles on the road.
3. Patience.
4. Courtesy.
5. Not letting other drivers get under your skin.

IMO, if you adhere to all these, you'll stand the best chance of having a hassle free trip and arriving at your destination in one piece.

 

[bazza]

1. Driving to the conditions.

so if the conditions are that there is no traffic in the left hand lane then you should use that lane - not the middle one

2. Looking ahead, being aware of other vehicles on the road.

so if you look ahead and see that there is no traffic in the left hand lane then you should use that lane - not the middle one

3. Patience.

so be patient and if there is no traffic in the left hand lane then you should use that lane - not the middle one

4. Courtesy.

so if there is no traffic in the left hand lane then by courteous and use that lane - not the middle one

5. Not letting other drivers get under your skin.

so don't let them get under your skin and if there is no traffic in the left hand lane then you should use that lane - not the middle one

 

[B-dos]

how do you wizz past when there is a car going 10kph under the speed limit in the middle lane and another doing a similar speed in the right-hand lane?

well in the rare event that happens id wait in line behind the dope in the right hand line until he pulled over into the middle lane. if he continued to drive illegally id have no choice but to overtake in the middle lane

 

[B-dos]

haha

i must say though bazza, the argument that everyone on the freeway should be in the left hand land unless in the process of overtaking is quite amusing

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

you need to go to traffic school and are part of the reason why traffic doesn't flow as well as it could

Lol, ok. Its my fault that people in the left lane travel at ridiculously slow speeds. The ones that cause traffic problems are the ones that don't drive to the conditions.

If your on a 100kmph free-way and all the cars and trucks around you are doing 140kmph, is it still safe to sit in the left lane, doing 40km's below everyone else while you have people banking up behind you and having to swerve out from behind?

Drive safely, sometimes the law's contradicts that. And I study policing.

 

[bazza]

Lol, ok. Its my fault that people in the left lane travel at ridiculously slow speeds. The ones that cause traffic problems are the ones that don't drive to the conditions.

I am not talking about slow vehicles in the left lane.
I am talking about the case when no one uses the left lane

If your on a 100kmph free-way and all the cars and trucks around you are doing 140kmph, is it still safe to sit in the left lane, doing 40km's below everyone else while you have people banking up behind you and having to swerve out from behind?

If you are doing 100kmh and everyone is doing 140kmh then of course the car doing 100km/h drives in the left hand lane and people overtake to the right

once you have overtaken and there is nothing in front of you move to the left hand lane

 

[1 Eyed TEZZA]

I am not talking about slow vehicles in the left lane.
I am talking about the case when no one uses the left lane

Clearly this thread went in that direction. Some one asked why not everyone sits in the left lane and people responded, because people in the left lane are often going too slow.

 

[Willow]

If you are doing 100kmh and everyone is doing 140kmh then of course the car doing 100km/h drives in the left hand lane and people overtake to the right

Shouldn't you be saying that no one should be doing 140 km/h?

I'm assuming you are driving in NSW/Qld/Vic and not the German auto-bahns.

 

[kia ora storm]

Let's just get rid of lanes and be like India...turn anywhere, toot the horn and drive into a gap if you see one...problem solved.